Buckle.



E. N. HUMPHREY.

BUCKLE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1911.

Patehted July 16, 1912.

' wuwi/toz E MHz/unwary i, f a w A; A4 1 I v 1 champ OOLUMBIAPL-ANOGRAI'H CO. WAISI'IJNGTON. DIC- UNITED STATEg PATEN T UFFICE.

ERNEST 1\T. HUMPI-IREY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

BUCKLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST N. I-IUMPHREY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New Britain, county of Hartford, State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBuckles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactde scription.

My invention relates to an improved buckle.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of myimproved buckle, relatively enlarged and shown as in use. Fig. 2 is asimilar view, the buckle being shown open. Fig. 8 is a plan view of thebuckle alone. Fig. 4; is a front end ele' vation of the buckle.

1 represents the main body or frame, comprising two side bars connectedby a front and rear bar.

2 is a loop pivoted at its rear end to the body portion, preferably to across-bar 3, which bridges the space between the side bars of the mainframe.

4 is a downwardly turned and forwardly curled holding lip or abutment,preferably formed integrally with the metal of the main body and locatedalong the inner edge of the front bar. The forward bar of the loop 2 isarranged to swing up and down in front of the abutment, and when athickness of belt is passed around the forward part of the loop saidforward part will hold said belt friction-tight in its embrace betweenthe abutment and itself, as shown in Fig. 1. Normally the length of theframe 2 is preferably such that the forward bar will just clear the edgeof the abutment. l/Vhen the belt is in place, it is obviously necessaryfor the parts to spring somewhat. This is preferably provided by puttinga bend in the loop, as shown, said bend occurring in each side barthereof, permitting the forward bar of the loop to spring ahead, thebend straightening out when sufficient pressure is brought to bear.

5 represents the fixed end of a belt.

5 represents the free end of the belt, which is to be adjustably securedby the buckle. The extreme rear end of the belt,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 22, 1911.

Serial No. 639,899.

when in place, may lie as shown in Fig. 1,"

possible thereafter to assemble the loop therewith, since said loop maybe formed of wire, the two ends of which may be bent so as to projectsufliciently far into the bearings on the frame to hold the partssecurely together.

Again, if desired, the parts may be assembled while relatively soft, inwhich event both parts could later be hardened in an assembledcondition.

While I have shown the bends in the side bars of the loop frame 2extending clownwardly, which is a preferred construction, possessingparticular advantages, in a broad sense it should be understood that Ido not wish to be limited to the direction of the bends in the side barsof the loop, or, indeed, to the position of the bends, the object beingbroadly to provide a suitable bend, or bends, in the loop at some placewhereby the strapengaging part of the loop may yield sufficiently tosnap around the abutment on the frame.

I/Vhat I claim is:

1. In a buckle, a one piece sheet metal frame including two side barsand a front bar, a lip integrally connected to the rear edge of thefront bar and bent down and curled forwardly to form a loop retainingabutment lip, and a loop pivoted to the frame and including two sidebars connected at their front ends by a front bar arranged to swingacross the edge of said abutment lip, one of said parts being yielding,the forward end of said frame overstanding the front bar of said loop tosupport it against the strain of a strap. I

2. In a buckle, a one piece. sheet metal frame of hardened and polishedsteel including two side bars and a front bar and having Patented July16, 1912.

an integral lip depending from the rear against, the forward end of saidframe overedge of its front bar curved forwardly at its standing thefront bar of said loop to suplower edge to form a strap retainingabutport it against the strain of a stra 3.

ment, and a loop having a spring bend there- ERNEST N. HUMPHREY.

in pivoted to the frame and adapted to \Vitnesses: spring over the loweredge of said abutment R. C. MITCHELL, and frictionally hold a strapmember there- CHAS. A. PEARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

